March 11th: refining news

India

Kuwait Petroleum Corp is in talks with Indian Oil Corp to purchase a stake in the Paradip refinery and the proposed petrochemical complex. IOC are apparently willing to offer KPC a 26% share in the facility but no more than that.

Nigeria

Operation Pulo Shield, under control of the Niger Delta Joint Task Force (JTF) has announced that between January and February of this year, 308 illegal refineries in the region were destroyed. Also, leadership of the JTF has been transferred from Major General Iliyasu Abbah to Major general Emmanuel Atewe.

UK

Following reports early this week that Essar Energy was to shut the Stanlow refinery unless more UK government support was given, the company have released statements denying such plans. The company has said that the plant is well positioned to supply the UK as one of only two refineries in the country.

USA

The Phillips 66 owned Rodeo refinery has agreed to pay US$ 230 900 in penalties for 19 air quality violations between 2008 and 2009. A civil settlement was reached between the refinery and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on Monday 10^th March. Also, as part of the settlement, Phillips 66 has agreed to make changes to correct the pollution problems at the facility.

Two workers have been injured at the Tesoro Corp owned Golden Eagle refinery. The workers were sprayed with sulfuric acid while carrying out maintenance on a unit at the plant in Martinez, California. Full safety gear was being worn by the contract workers and they were decontaminated in a safety shower before being taken to hospital.

The state of Alaska has filed lawsuits against former and current owners of a North Pole refinery. The suit is due to chemical spills that were not controlled and resulted in soil and groundwater damage. The claims are against Flint Hills resources who own the plant and former owners Williams Alaska. The state asks that the companies pay for sulfolane clean up. 

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/11032014/11_march_oil_refining_news255/